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Hackett Arrives; Bugel Discusses O Line

It was a busy morning at Redskins Park with the return of wide receiver D.J. Hackett and Joe Bugel's group rap session about the offensive line.

Hackett is a familiar face around the complex. The Skins offered him a veteran-minimum contract before the 2008 season, which he rejected, and then extended another offer after his tryout during the most recent minicamp. He rejected that one, too.

But a roster spot opened because the Skins reached an injury settlement with wideout Roydell Williams, so they again turned to Hackett. Still without a contract, Hackett joined the Skins and participated in the early practice.

Hackett was with Zorn in Seattle and knows the Skins' offense well, which is why Zorn wanted him on the roster. Hackett has been a productive No. 3 receiver, but the five-year veteran had only 13 receptions for 181 yards last season for Carolina, which released him in February. For his career, Hackett has 118 receptions for 1,575 yards and nine touchdowns.

"We had to have a receiver," Zorn said. "Hack knows the offense, he knows the terminology, [and] he was here before for a short time. He did great. He'll perform very well. He has been trying to get on a team. Some guys haven't had that fortune to get on a team, and now he's got a chance."

As for Bugel's take on the offensive line, well, he's pleased overall with the group's performance. Yeah, sure, Bugel acknowledged the defensive line has been ahead in camp, but "if we could ever block our defensive line, we'll be okay in the NFL," he said. "Our defensive line [are] warriors. It may take five guys to block Albert [Haynesworth]. They have a salty bunch over there.

"They've got great speed. You practice against that every day, you're going to get better or you're going to get worse. We get a little bit better each day. Sometimes they don't touch 'em, sometimes we do touch 'em. But it's a great experience to have that kind of defense to go against on a daily basis."

Because of injuries, the first team has not had the number of reps together that Bugel and Zorn would prefer. Center Casey Rabach (calf), left guard Randy Thomas (sore knee) and right tackle Stephon Heyer (bruised knee) sat out practice. Heyer said an MRI exam Tuesday on his knee did not reveal structural damage and he would be re-evaluated after a few days' rest.

"The guy who was having a banner camp was Stephon Heyer," Bugel said. "He got a little nicked in the goal-line drill. But he's really improved. This is his third year. I would expect him to be real good. He's doing a good job."

If Heyer or Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels could not play during the season, the Skins would turn to guard/tackle Jeremy Bridges, who took Heyer's place with the first group today. With Thomas out as well, second-year guard Chad Rinehart lined up next to Bridges.

"I'm concerned about Randy," Bugel said. "Randy's had some problems. He's having a little problem with his knee right now. Rabach had a little bit of a calf thing. Rather then push them through, the young kids got a real chance to play."

In addition to the problems offensive linemen have had trying to slow down their defensive counterparts, they also have struggled against the blitz packages being shown in camp.

"Against our defense, we're having some problems when our 1s go against their 1s and it's a blitz," he said. "When they're bringing 11 guys and 11 guys have to matchup, it gets a little tough, a little hairy."

The media and fans need to relax about the offensive line's play, Bugel said. "I don't know why everybody's really concerned about right tackle. That aggravates me," he said. "We got great candidates there. Heyer's played there; he's started there. Bridges has started in the league right there. We're not destitute at that position."

I am thinking maybe I shouldnt worry if Bugel isnt worried. Wouldnt he be our resident expert? Or should I take it as "Corporate Speak to Calm the Masses"?

He does have one of the best points on how this unit is trying to mesh and our D-line is arguably our greatest strength along with our secondary. If he feels the line is improving I will continue to believe he knows what he is doing and is still a good judge of talent.

The media and fans need to relax about the offensive line's play, Bugel said. "I don't know why everybody's really concerned about right tackle. That aggravates me," he said. "We got great candidates there. Heyer's played there; he's started there. Bridges has started in the league right there. We're not destitute at that position."

WTF does Hackett really think he's that great? I mean how many contracts is this kid going to turn down? He better feel lucky that he connected with Zorn, otherwise he'd be out of the league completely.

Dude got injured, not much you can do about that, especially when he didn't have a history of it. Before that, he was leading the league in TDs and all-purpose yards, and leading his team in receptions (for the league's number one offense at the time, no less). Hardly a bust there.

It was unfortunate for the Saints. But he's no more of a bust than Penny Hardaway was for the Orlando Magic.

Funny thing about Casserly -- the further he gets from being a GM, the better he looks as a GM. Maybe in another ten years he'll be an HOF GM.

The Mario pick wasn't anywhere close to his trade for NO's entire draft, plus some picks from the following year, so they could take Ricky Williams. Then, he traded up and grabbed Champ Bailey. Can't do better than that.

Ummmm, Buges I love you but you've totally lost touch with reality if you think nobody should be worried about Heyer and Bridges as the only options at RT (not too mention what happens if Samuels gets hurt again)......and when Buges says he's worried about Thomas that's not good, Bridges can't play two spots at once....I wonder what Buges assessment of last year's line was....

By the way, before all the other tards accuse me of being a defeatist tard, I still stand by my 14-2 season prediction.
This is good at least through the 3rd quarter of the 3rd game this year.
~
Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya | August 5, 2009 1:43 PM

You know, something to keep in mind about Bugel - last year he had to deal with his daughter's death in the middle of the season - sure, he kept going, said that work was the best distraction from sorrow and tragedy, but does any one think he may have been a little off his game last year?

I don't understand why Bugel has so much confidence in are O-line. If they don't pick another player or two up were going to have the same break down we did in the second half of the season last year. We have to many aged vets that can't make it through a 16 game season. They're dropping like flies now and its only the second week of camp!

Where is the Fonz reference coming from? I mean I know who the Fonz is, but don't get how Vinny is doing anything Fonz-like....does he like to say "correct-a-mundo" or something? Or is it just that his office in Redskins park is really a bathroom?

"They're dropping like flies now and its only the second week of camp!"

Exactly, it's only the 2nd week of camp. While I agree we could have gotten a little younger on the o-line in the off-season, I would have to ask this question.

Who are we going to get at this point? Don't say Levi Jones b/c we don't have the money available to get him. All we can get at this point are other peoples cast-offs. Do we really want that? RT can't be any worse than Jansen was last year, I mean, the guy couldn't block anyone in Pass pro, no one. So even if Heyer is good in Pass Pro and not so great in run blocking. It will still be an upgrade or at the very least an even swap. I think if we get Pass Pro then that is an upgrade b/c we can always run to left side. You can't get anything done with someone in your face 2 sec. after the ball is snapped. Let's just all calm down and wait and see what happens when we get into games not just the 2nd week of practice against a line that includes the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Posted by: RambleOn
WTF does Hackett really think he's that great? I mean how many contracts is this kid going to turn down? He better feel lucky that he connected with Zorn, otherwise he'd be out of the league completely.

WTF is Zorn thinking? He needs offensive linemen that are not washed or banged up.

Vinny feathered back hair-style is right on for "The Fonz" and you don't have to go any further than that. You're right, though, other than that they share no similiarities but the hair is good enough.

Who gives a dam about Reggie Bush or Mario Williams this is a Redskin Post, our issues are offensive lineman I mean these guys are pros how difficult can it be to block the guy in front of you or the gut about to sack your quarterback?

Randy Thomas is done , Snyder should have addressed that issue, he needs to bring back Kendall and pick up a free agent or too..Nothing is wrong with piling up d-lineman, we couldn't touch the quarterback last year, we couldn't even hurry them, and by time the 4th quarter started they were too beat up to compete..That won't happen Sept 13th..Manning will get what he deserves put on his back..

Where is the Fonz reference coming from? I mean I know who the Fonz is, but don't get how Vinny is doing anything Fonz-like....does he like to say "correct-a-mundo" or something? Or is it just that his office in Redskins park is really a bathroom?

Where is the Fonz reference coming from? I mean I know who the Fonz is, but don't get how Vinny is doing anything Fonz-like....does he like to say "correct-a-mundo" or something? Or is it just that his office in Redskins park is really a bathroom?

OH!!!

Posted by: dlhaze1 | August 5, 2009 1:58 PM | Report abuse

I like to think of Vinny that way, with that dumbass smile and his two thumbs up, like it is all good all the time.

Ummm.... maybe because the media and the fans ARE THERE AT PRACTICE watching them get PWN'ed by the defense. It doesn't take an expert to watch that and realize what is happening

Posted by: REDneckSKINhead | August 5, 2009 2:08 PM

Don't you think that most teams who's D is stronger than their O are having the same problems at this point of the preseason. Let's be honest it's alot easier for defenses to get up to speed quicker than offenses and we had a top 5 D last year.

We just need to have some added depth in case one of are aged vets get hurt on the O-line. Hell if we have to pick up Runyan or even Kendall for some added security. Its going to be a shame if we can't get are offense going again this year especially considering how ridiculous are defense is going to be. With the talent we have on this team we should have the strongest team in the NFC no questioned asked.

Maybe its the fact that we sucked the last 8 games of last year, and are relying on the guy who couldn't beat out Jansen who was so old and bad we just cut him to take over at RT. Everyone is acting like Heyer is all of a sudden an upgrade, why? we have zero evidence yet that's the case but we do know that last year he couldn't regain his starting spot over Jansen who Zorn obviously hated.....Heyer hopefully has made great strides but we don't know that yet. What we do know is we have only Samuels and Heyer as realistic tackles on our roster and Bridges who has been and is better at guard. Behind that, nothing but no experienced no names and undrafted rookies. That may be the reason eveyone is nervous Joe.

We just need to have some added depth in case one of are aged vets get hurt on the O-line. Hell if we have to pick up Runyan or even Kendall for some added security. Its going to be a shame if we can't get are offense going again this year especially considering how ridiculous are defense is going to be. With the talent we have on this team we should have the strongest team in the NFC no questioned asked.

Of course Buges is gonna rep his guys....duh...did you expect him to come out and rip them 6 days into camp? Coach speak anyone? Not everyone talk is "blog commenter speak"

Posted by: chrislarry
____________________________

This is the simple answer to all this angst about what Buges said... I don't think Buges has necessarily lost it (his coaching ability or his intensity/drive or his judgement on the strength of his line). He's doing what he can with what he's got... and it is early yet... and he will spin and be diplomatic (yes even Buges), for several strategic reasons.

I'm gonna trust buges on this one....I mean, I played one year of football in HS, and he's practically been around the game for his entire adult life, so his resume affords him that luxury......

Posted by: BeantownGreg1 | August 5, 2009 2:14 PM | Report abuse

Right, cause last year was so awesome with the entire adult life guy at the helm of the line and the majority of that line is back a year older and another year of injuries with the same lack of talent behind it. Don't get confused about the coach speak, the problem is with talent on the roster, not the coach. Having bad personnel doesn't make Buges a bad coach, but what's he going to say "my guys suck and we're in trouble"? No he's going to have his guys back, that doesn't mean he's right though, any reasonable football fan can see that our oline situation is precarious at best....we're counting on 16 games of health for Samuels and Thomas and Heyer who all have injury histories and we're counting on Dockery to be good again after sucking so bad in Buffalo they cut him, and we're hoping Rabach can hold up again since there's nothing behind him and all that is if everything goes great and nobody gets hurt.....

"I'm gonna trust buges on this one....I mean, I played one year of football in HS, and he's practically been around the game for his entire adult life, so his resume affords him that luxury......

Posted by: BeantownGreg1"

If I was coming into this blindly, I'd agree with you.

Unfortunately I've seen with my own two ears this line, minus Dockery, get lit up last season. And given the 'rave' reviews this line has received early in camp, it's not unreasonable to question Buges' media-speak.

the last 8 games of last year and all off season we talked about upgrading the 2 weakest parts of the team, the d-line and the o-line. well you can't do it all, but we sure upgraded the d-line and now it might be the Skins strongest area
we had to fix 2 areas and we fixed 1 and now we have to deal with it, our o-line sucking has been talked about for almost 10 months now, i hope none of this is a shock to anybody, the sucking, the injuries, all of it, we all knew what we were dealing with.........sooooo now what? pick up some unsigned guys, what else can we do? hope? pray?
no, on sunday's this fall im going to get drunk as s**t and watch my Skins kick some a**, at least on DEFENSE, the good old CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS BACK

There's little to hope for with this gang of old men and cast-offs, and Buges is putting the best face he can on it. There is NO reason to expect this group to perform better than last year, and plenty of cause to think it could be worse (age, for example, with Thomas and Samuels...)

The only question that still remains is WHY?

Why did we don little or nothing about this in the off season when we had the chance?

fanatic, 2/5ths of the line has been replaced from opening day last year with younger and bigger guys...

we're what 6, 7 days into training camp...lets do this...before we throw the baby out with the bath water, lets see how they do in oh, I don't know a game or two, before passing judgement....maybe even let them play a pre-season game.....crazy, I know.....

Unfortunately I've seen with my own two ears this line, minus Dockery, get lit up last season. And given the 'rave' reviews this line has received early in camp, it's not unreasonable to question Buges' media-speak.

fanatic, 2/5ths of the line has been replaced from opening day last year with younger and bigger guys...

we're what 6, 7 days into training camp...lets do this...before we throw the baby out with the bath water, lets see how they do in oh, I don't know a game or two, before passing judgement....maybe even let them play a pre-season game.....crazy, I know.....

Posted by: BeantownGreg1 | August 5, 2009 2:38 PM | Report abuse

I guess that's the glass is half full way to look at it, the other side is 3/5ths didn't change and no legitimate backup plans we're put in to place behind that 3/5ths either. Also the two spots replace were LG which was arguably our best spot last year by a guy that was cut by Buffalo so who knows if that's an upgrade in play but should be in durability for sure and Jansen was replaced by the guy who couldn't beat him out last year....but he's certainly younger and hopefully has gotten better. But now instead of having Heyer (or god forbid even Jansen) to back up Samuels and the RT we have an out of position guard or a reclamation project that apparently couldn't block me. And behind Thomas who always gets injured we have Rhino (an apparent bust) or Bridges who might have to be playing tackle (something he's apparently not great at) like today. So yeah I guess we can wait and see....but that seems kinda like standing on the tracks hearing the whistle and rumble and waiting to see if its really a train coming...I don't understand why they are waiting to bring in at least one or two more competent bodies for the eventual injuries that are coming, how many times do they have to see it before they realize the chances of 5 olineman playing a full 16 game season together is slim, why not get some people in here and give them time to learn the system and get reps with your team?

lets face it this is an 8-8 team
if there are severe issues with the o line
game over
prediction - by week 7 jason c is either injured or benched , same with collins
colt brennen saves the day
the skins should be working on rollouts for the qb because thats the only way besides the shotgun the qb will have time to throw

I haven't read all the posts but I just wanted to comment on a few people talking about Reggie Bush as a bust.

Is he a bust? Sure, compared to his hype, yes. However, there was absolutely no reason to think that he was not the next Marshall Faulk, with a little Barry Sanders mixed in. Bush was one of the most exciting and productive players to ever play college football, and he torched every level of competition in college--not just soft Pac-10 opponents. I think Mario Williams is a helluva player, but Reggie Bush is not so bad himself! Injuries are part of the game, and its unfortunate for Reggie. In my opinion, however, he still has a chance to be a GREAT player if he can get healthy.

Furthermore, wasn't one of the reasons the Texans picked Williams bc they were determined to have their #1 signed before the draft? As I remember, Williams was the only one they had success negotiating with and so they went that direction bc they though the top 2-3 were comparable. My memory may be a little off on the details there though? Anyone remember?

Beantown, I'm with you, let's get on the field a couple times before we can the whole season. Let's face it, this year has started better then last year when we lost 2 DE on the first day. I guess it must be something in the water in New England that enables us to maintain some sanity, at least before the season starts.

If we are going to stay with the guys we have on O line, is Zorn going to adapt his scheme to adjust?

Anybody at camp seeing some roll-out plays, reverses and mis-direction stuff being worked in? 'Cause dropping back 5, setting and throwing on timing precise patterns doesn't sound like our best strategy at the moment.

On DJ Hackett: about that lousy 13 receptions last season in Carolina, it helps to remember that Carolina didn't throw the ball that often to anybody. They finished last in the NFC in total receptions, 12th of 16 in total receiving yards. They happened to have a good average per exception, mostly because Steve Smith, their leading receiver, caught 78 for a remarkable 18.2 per catch. I'd say Hackett signed with the wrong team last year -- Washington could have used him, and he could have used Washington.

hz6904: "If the O-line is getting this beat up in practice, what will happen after the first game? game 2? game 10? Get the picture?"

Nope, because there isn't any picture at the moment -- just a bunch of static on the screen. Much as I hate to say it, we're going to have to sit on our hands until we get a chance to see these guys in a few games.

Zorn's made the point repeatedly (I don't know if anybody's listening) that the problem with injuries in camp is missing reps. It's the reps, not the hitting, that matters. That's how the unit comes together.

Their big problem is the Giants in the first game -- they'll be out for blood. The preseason doesn't count so much. Don't forget the Lions went undefeated in preseason...

I keep harping on this, people getting beat this early at training camp one on one doesn't mean anything for the regular season. The fact that they're going against a beast of a D-line only means that they'll be ready for NY and Philly.

What does concern me is that the starting line is dinged up, but even with them out, our reserve guys are getting invaluable reps. If called on during the season, which in all likely hood will be the case, they'll be ready for anyone and anything. I hate this analysis from the press that they spew off. The injury stuff is affirmative, but the commentary about B. Williams struggling is a bunch of BS. The reporters have no idea on scheme, split, gap assignments, stunt adjustment, Buges is trying to going over him or with others on the line for that matter.

I think it would benefit the post if they also had someone on the staff that played the game. Get Bostic, Jacoby, or Mann to do a blog, then you can get the real picture of what's really going on.

This is bad, very bad. I actually feel worse about this OL after reading this than I did before.

Randy Thomas, Samuels and Rabach to me seem like they're all teetering on the edge of the same cliff Jansen fell off last year.

The biggest problem is that they can't get healthy. An offensive line needs time in camp to develop cohesion because so many of their checks and how they block somebody depends on knowing, by instinct, where the guy next to them on the OL is going to be. Thomas and Heyer being injured doesn't allow them to develop that.

I also still say that getting beat by a rookie, even a very good rookie, speaks volumes about Samuels, and not in a good way. Orakpo has been eating his lunch. If a rookie can own Samuels, what are Osi Umeniyora and the Giants LBs going to do? They'll be on Campbell so fast he won't know what hit him.

Bugs is trying, but he's not been given enough talent to make this thing work. A football team is built on its OL and DL. Apparently Vinny learned the DL part but was absent from class the day they discussed offensive lines.

The best hope for this team is somehow, some way, the defense is as good as the Ravens D when they went to the Super Bowl even though their offense didn't score a TD in four games.